Carlow's Eire Og progress to Leinster quarter-finals following extra-time thriller

Carlow champions Eire Og advanced to the quarter-finals of the Leinster Championship following a thrilling encounter with the Laois champions, St Joseph's, at Netwatch Cullen Park where extra-time was needed to separate the sides.

Mick Dempsey's St Joeph's side had put themselves four points up at the beginning of extra-time but Eire Og clawed back the deficit to win by two in the end.

Eire Og 2-18

St Joseph's 3-13

Eire Og started the faster of the two as Murtough Ware won the ball from the throw-up before he broke forward and split the posts within the first 20 seconds. St Joseph's responded well to the early score as Eoghan O'Flaherty pointed a free while Brian Daly scored from play. The next score would be a goal as David Dunphy found space before his shot rolled beyond the grasps of Aaron Cooney.

Colm Hulton added to Eire Og's tally with a score from play as they led by three points. Jordan Morrissey raised another white flag for the Carlow side before Dylan Doyle got in for goal after while O'Flaherty pointed to level the game. Diarmuid Ruth and a free from Adam McCarron pushed Eire Og two points ahead again.

That would be their last score for 14 minutes as St Joseph's fired over five points before the end of the first-half. Two white flags from Oisin Hooney and O'Flaherty was followed with a score from Michael Keogh as St Joseph's held a three-point advantage at the break.

O'Flaherty was a man on form as he kicked off the second-half with another score. Kyle Nolan replied for Eire Og before Ware pointed a mark to leave two between the sides. A free from O'Flaherty was matched with a point from Eire Og's Ross Dunphy.

The next score would put St Joseph's into a commanding position as Danny Hickey scored at the second attempt after his first attempt had been stopped on the line. 

Eire Og to their credit weren't put off by the St Joseph's second goal as they got the next five scores unanswered to level the contest. McCarron pointed three of those while Dunphy and Morrissey (free) also raised white flags.

Michael Keogh pointed to put St Joseph's ahead before they were given a golden opportunity to win the game as they were awarded a penalty. Brian Daly stepped up but struck his effort straight at Johnny Furey.

There were audible gasps as the referee added on six minutes and Eire Og took full advantage as Colm Hulton raised a white flag in the 64th minute to bring the game to extra-time.

Extra-time couldn't have gotten off to a better start for St Joseph's as Brian Daly palmed the ball into the net after O'Flaherty had squared the ball to him. They pushed their lead to four within two minutes of the restart as Josh O'Brien pointed.

The second penalty of the game would then be awarded but this time to Eire Og as Aaron Cooney fouled Ware with young Josh Brady stepping up to make no mistake with his finish.

Brady would add a point to his goal from the penalty before Hulton pointed for the third time to give Eire Og a slender one-point lead at half-time in extra-time.

The second period of extra-time saw O'Flaherty level the game in the 75th courtesy of a free before McCarron got his fourth of the contest.

Aaron Cooney had pulled off a superb save from Ware but McCarron was first to react. McCarron kicked another free as St Joseph's went looking for scores but couldn't muster up any as Eire Og won by two points in the end.